Ontario halts visits, social trips for long-term care residents amid Omicron spread

Ontario long-term care homes will halt general visits as COVID-19 outbreaks spike, fuelled by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Long-Term Care Minister Rod Phillips said the policy will take effect Thursday to reduce the risk of exposing vulnerable residents to the virus as it circulates in the community.

“I do understand that these measures will impact many families, but we must remain vigilant, particularly against the new Omicron variant,” Phillips told a news conference Tuesday.

Starting Thursday, only two designated caregivers per resident will be allowed to visit. All other general visits will be paused indefinitely, and residents won’t be allowed to